Second base prospects for 2014

There was a time when second base was a wasteland in the minors, when utility types like Taylor Green topped the prospect rankings just because they were the only ones with a chance of contributing in the not-too-distant future.

But times, they're a-changin'. Failed shortstops and relocated outfielders have given the position considerable depth, and the last generation has left this one with considerable opportunity. Of the 10 second base prospects listed here, four might actually be worth drafting in standard mixed leagues. That's unprecedented.

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Of course, for what second base offers in depth, it's lacking in upside. None of these players profiles as a future first-rounder. Still, in dynasty leagues, you shouldn't have to extend yourself to get something useful for the long haul.

Note: This list has been adjusted for Fantasy purposes. Though long-term potential is a factor, it's arguably less important than the player's expected role in 2014. These prospects don't all profile as superstars, but they're the names most worth knowing in Fantasy right now.

Taken 22nd overall in the 2011 draft, Kolten Wong's ascension to the majors in mid-August may have seemed abrupt to some, but based on the .303 batting average he put together at Triple-A, he didn't have much more to learn in the minors. Of course, given the numbers he had in the majors, you might wish he did, but keep in mind he was splitting time with David Freese, with Matt Carpenter shifting from second to third base as necessary, and may have gotten worn down playing deeper into the year than he was accustomed to doing. A high batting average is probably the one certainty for the 5-foot-9 Hawaii native, who has so far made the most of his his minimal tools, generating more power than expected for a player his size and making judicious use of his moderate foot speed. He has all the makings of another Jose Altuve, but perhaps with a little more power and a little less speed. Of course, for Fantasy owners to get anything out of it, he has to have a place to play, but if the Cardinals find a taker for David Freese this offseason, Wong will be a sleeper in all formats. He's already a must-draft in NL-only leagues.

Looking to upgrade at second base in a way that wouldn't require them to drop $300 million on Robinson Cano, the Dodgers rolled the dice on Cuban defector Alexander Guerrero in late October, signing him to a four-year, $28 million deal. Of course, that contract probably says more about their deep pockets than their confidence in the 26-year-old. As with most Cuban defectors, the scouting reports on Guerrero are lacking in detail and subject to hunches. In a league that many talent evaluators compare to high Class A, his numbers were adequate, but not eye-popping. Agent Scott Boras has compared his power to Dan Uggla's, which may or may not be an exaggeration, but as critical as scouts have been of Guerrero's swing-at-anything approach, the similarities to Uggla may not end there. Guerrero will get every chance to win the starting job out of spring training and will probably perform well enough to justify a late-round pick in mixed leagues. Just be careful not to lump him in with fellow Cuban defector Jose Dariel Abreu. Even in a best-case scenario, the outlook isn't as rosy.

Rougned Odor's name may be a familiar one to prospect hounds -- partially because once you see it, you don't forget it -- but 2013 was the first year the results began to live up to the projections. As one of just three teenage position players in the Carolina League, Odor piled on the doubles and showcased better-than-expected base-stealing ability. Then, after a promotion to Double-A Frisco, he more than doubled his home run total in only 30 games. His numbers aren't off the charts, but for how far he has climbed at such a young age, they're awfully encouraging. His well-rounded production is similar to what Jurickson Profar delivered in his abbreviated minor-league career, though Odor's stock hasn't quite reached that level yet. In terms of pure upside, he's probably the best second base prospect in baseball right now, but with the Rangers overloaded up the middle already, he's a long shot to reach the majors as more than a September call-up. Dynasty league owners should begin taking him seriously as a long-term keeper, though.

Jonathan Schoop is one of those prospects who make Fantasy owners thankful for all the work scouts do. A regular schmo just looking at the minor-league numbers might not give him the time of day, but here he is on the verge of stepping in for Brian Roberts at second base. He got a quick audition for the role late last September and didn't do anything to jeopardize his chances, but his less-than-stellar minor-league numbers might give the Orioles reason for pause. Still, scouts have always liked his power, and he delivered more of it last year than first glance would have you believe. All nine of his home runs at Triple-A came on the road, which suggests he was a victim of Norfolk's spacious ballpark. He also dealt with his share of injuries, as has been the norm throughout his minor-league career. Schoop probably won't get the buzz of a Kolten Wong or Alexander Guerrero on Draft Day, but particularly if he has a starting job to himself coming out of spring training, he's a good bet to factor in mixed leagues before season's end.

Tommy La Stella wasn't on anybody's radar until Dan Uggla's impromptu laser eye surgery in mid-August sent everyone scrambling to the minor-league leaderboards to figure out who would take his place. And what they found at Double-A Mississippi gave them little reason to keep searching. The Braves didn't turn to La Stella then, but judging by the rumors of them looking to unload Uggla this offseason, they'll likely give him a shot this spring, especially with his OPS rivaling that of mega prospect Kris Bryant in the Arizona Fall League. A lot of that is on-base percentage -- La Stella's power isn't even in the same ballpark as Bryant's -- but it demonstrates just how thoroughly he excels in that facet of the game. Not only does he make consistent, hard contact, hitting .327 over three minor-league seasons (and none of them in especially hitter-friendly environments, mind you), but he's a walk machine. Granted, that skill set will only carry him so far in Fantasy, but seeing how Matt Carpenter has fared without big-time power or base-stealing ability, you wouldn't want to overlook La Stella, particularly in NL-only leagues.

A non-entity in the Red Sox farm system in 2011 and 2012, Betts burst onto the scene as a 20-year-old getting his first taste of full-season ball in 2013, only improving after a midseason promotion to high Class A Salem. There, he hit .341 with seven homers, 20 steals and a .966 OPS in 185 at-bats, solidifying his breakthrough. He didn't improve in just one area. His batting average, home runs and stolen bases all increased, and with 81 walks to 57 strikeouts, his plate discipline was as good as it gets for a minor-leaguer. The performance was so out of left field that you have to guard against the possibility of a letdown, particularly as he makes his biggest jump yet to Double-A Portland. But if it was even halfway legitimate, Betts has a future in Fantasy. He's a must-have now in dynasty leagues because of that possibility, though with Dustin Pedroia locked up long-term, he's at least a couple years from reaching the majors.

After swiping 101 bags about as quietly as a player can in 2012, Delino DeShields regressed to "only" 51 in 2013. OK, so he's not Billy Hamilton, but he still projects to steal a bunch of bases in the majors. And judging by his jump in batting average with his move to high Class A, he projects to do more than just that. The problem for DeShields is he may no longer be eligible at second base by the time he gets the call. He hasn't taken to the position defensively, and the Astros just locked up Jose Altuve long-term. A move to the outfield in the Arizona Fall League offers a glimpse into DeShields' future. Granted, an elite base-stealer is still plenty valuable in the outfield, but second base is still considered the weaker position. At age 21, DeShields remains a work in progress, so you shouldn't expect to see him this year. If his pedigree as the eighth overall pick in the 2010 draft allows him to develop power in the years ahead, he'll be quite the prize in long-term keeper leagues.

The Twins transitioned Eddie Rosario from center field to second base in 2012 in part because they felt they had a need there long-term. But with Brian Dozier's emergence in 2013, the Twins can afford to take it slow with the 22-year-old. In long-term keeper leagues, it's probably for the best. Rosario held his own after a midseason promotion to Double-A New Britain but still hasn't demonstrated the full extent of potential. He won't ever rank among the league leaders in home runs or stolen bases, but he'll contribute a fair number of both -- and with a high batting average to boot. Comparing him to Martin Prado might seem to be shortchanging his upside in some ways, but if that's the kind of player he ends up being, he'll have been well worth the investment. Just don't count on him getting more than a September call-up in 2014.

The White Sox knew they had a burner in Micah Johnson when they landed him in the ninth round of the 2012 draft, and in that regard, he didn't disappoint in his first full professional season, leading all minor-leaguers with 84 stolen bases. But his performance at the plate earned him a spot on this list. Granted, most of his .312 batting average came at low Class A. He hit .272 in 232 at-bats at his next two stops up the ladder. But the White Sox pushed him pretty hard for as little experience as he has. One reason could be that they're looking to remake their middle infield sooner than later, with both Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham rumored to be on the move, but even a midseason promotion might be out of Johnson's reach. Regardless of his progress at the plate, he has some work to do defensively, with some scouts believing a move to the outfield is inevitable. Wherever he winds up, Johnson should provide plenty of steals as long as he hits enough to stay in the lineup. Unless he makes headlines this spring, though, he should probably go undrafted in single-season leagues.

Like the Red Sox's Mookie Betts, Devon Travis went from being a nobody to a legitimate prospect with his performance in 2013, hitting better than .350 in both of his stops in the minors. He didn't run as much as Betts, though, and the scouts seem to be a little more skeptical of his power. The big test for him will be the jump to Double-A this year, which -- other than the majors, of course -- is the level that most often exposes overachievers. Given his lack of pedigree, you have to remain skeptical in your assessment of Travis until he establishes some sort of track record, but if he continues down this path, he's the Tigers' second baseman of the future. And depending how quickly he takes to Double-A, that future could come sooner than later, especially if Omar Infante signs elsewhere. Travis isn't to the point where you should draft him in AL-only leagues, but he's a player to monitor in those deeper formats.

(5:20 pm ET)Mike Olt is expected to be the Cubs' starting third baseman on Opening Day for a second straight year with the demotion of Kris Bryant to the minors. Even with the potential for Chicago to bring Bryant to the majors quickly, Olt is feeling confident heading into the 2015 season.

"It feels a lot different," Olt said of this season versus last year, per MLB.com. "I was able to go up there last year and learned a lot of things. I feel I'm back to the player who can really compete instead of the player who you hope is ready and you hope the swing is there. It's a lot different feeling, a lot less stressful."

Olt is having a decent spring at the plate, batting .279 with a .392 on-base percentage, .558 slugging percentage and .950 OPS in 19 games. It's a nice turnaround after batting .160 in 89 games in the majors last season.

"I had two crazy years and a lot of things happened to me," said Olt of some injury issues. "Now I feel it's in the past, and I have a new outlook on baseball and a new outlook on my career. I used to be one of those [top prospects like Bryant] -- and you forget about that. I feel myself becoming that guy again, and it makes baseball fun again."

"His intent is to hit," Black said. "He’s a very confident hitter, and when you think you can hit, you swing."

Pitchers exploited Gyorko's aggressiveness last season, and he struck out 100 times in 400 at-bats while hitting .210/.280/.333 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI. He hit better after spending nearly two months on the disabled list due to a plantar fasciitis. He focused on adding muscle this offseason.

"I went a little lighter last year in an attempt to get a little more flexibility," he said. "Obviously, it didn’t work, so I tried to beef back up. I tried to get as strong as I could coming into camp."

The team added plenty of offensive talent this offseason, and the team won't be forced to rely upon Gyorko to be a rock in the heart of the lineup this season.

"Unfairly, we probably put a lot of pressure on Jedd to be a guy in the middle of the order," Black said. “And I think he’ll eventually be a solid run producer there … I think another year of experience, being in amongst a group of (Justin) Upton and (Matt) Kemp, (Carlos) Quentin, whoever might be in the lineup, there will be a little bit of pressure off him to be the guy. I think guys like pressure. Guys want expectations. That’s what makes guys tick … Jedd has that. But when you have good players around you, it does put your mind at ease."

(5:05 pm ET)White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche hasn't had a very good showing at the plate this spring, batting .186 with 14 strikeouts in 15 games. However, LaRoche said there is no cause for concern since his spring numbers never look pretty.

“My swing is one where it seems to take me the full spring training and some years past that to get it dialed in,’’ LaRoche said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “I can remember only two or three springs where with a week left I felt really good.

“The good news is I’ve been there a lot, so there is no need to panic. It comes and goes here for a while. But I’ll be good.’’

Wainwright, who finished his final spring training start Tuesday, posted a 20-9 record in 2014 with a 2.38 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 227 innings. Wainwright dealt with a slight abdominal strain early in camp, capping him at just three starts in spring training.

(5:01 pm ET)Braves outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. is expecting to receive medical clearance on Friday to shed the protective boot on his injured left foot, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Upton has been sidelined all spring with the injury. He had the hard cast removed from his injured left foot last week, and is expected to start the season on the 15-day disabled list.

"I've thrown a couple of times, lifting weights. Just waiting to get it off," he said. "It'll probably take a week to actually start really working on it again -- get in the shoe, start walking on it again. There's no timetable, but it'll probably be (when he's ready)."

(4:59 pm ET)Red Sox pitcher Wade Mileyconfirmed that he would be the fourth or fifth starter for the Red Sox to start the season.

Miley told the media he would make his first start of the regular season against the Yankees, although he didn't specify which game he would start. That series starts after three games against the Phillies.

That would indicate that Justin Masterson is the Red Sox's third starter, although manager John Farrell hasn't confirmed it.

(4:53 pm ET)Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright gave up two runs (one earned) on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched Tuesday in his final spring training start. Wainwright also added one walk and two strikeouts to his totals.

Wainwright finished spring training with a 3.14 ERA with seven strikeouts and three walks in three starts.

(4:53 pm ET)Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethierwas forced out of Tuesday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after he took a Carlos Rodon pitch to his right elbow, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Chris Heisey took over for Ethier in the bottom of the second inning. Ethier is hitting .313 this spring. He was sent for X-rays after leaving the game. The team will likely provide an update on the extent of his injury after the game.